Excavating apparatus.



Patented Nov. 20, WW.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L T. s. MILLER EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 25, 19M.

latanted Nov. 20, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- lgwimwo THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, 01? SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

Spec'ification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2-0, 191?.

Application filed September 25, 1914. Serial No. 863,425.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'lrroims SPENCER MIL- LER, a citizenof the United States, residing at South Orange, 111 the county of Essex and State'of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in excavating apparatus'and more particularly to cabloways ofthat type including a main supporting cableway upon which travels a load supporting carriage from which is suspended a digging bucket, for instance an opening and closing bucket of'the clam-shell or open-ended digging bucket.

In cableways of the above type, so far as I am aware, the main supporting cable or trackway is always at a fixed deflection and the bucket has been raised and lowered 1 relative to the cable and the load carriage by one or two hoisting. ropes, usually two, one to close the bucket, the other one to hold the bucket'while it is and both to act together in hoisting or lowering. While these prior art cableways have been satisfactory nevertheless the time lost in hoisting the bucket by these independent ropes has been considerable. Furthermore the operation of such cableways has been somewhat complex, as will be further set forth. i

In cableways of this type employing the fixed deflection of main cable it is usual to employ a hoisting machine involving three friction drums of equal diameter, each drum being equipped with a friction clutching apparatus and brake, for in such cableways it is essential at times that all three drums should be operated simultaneously giving equal speeds to all the ropes. Atother times certain drums must beheld by their brakes while the others are operated independently. The time required to raise the bucket from the ground to the cableway carriage is time lost, for it-is clear that the bucket at that time is neither digging nor traversing.

Wholly aside from the question of time the numerous levers that must be handled by the operator requires a high degree of skill and a great deal of physical effort. Such a cableway'requires not less than 8 levers and in heavy machinery these heavy levers produce fatigue on behalf of the operator.

The main object ofthisinvention is to in the bucket may orange-peel type or an 7 opening and closing produce an excavating apparatus in which the number of bucket loads per hour is increased over cableways of the prior art. The speed of operation is increased in various ways. The time lost in raising and lowering the bucket by independent ropes is elimi. nated. Furtl'iermore the whole operation is carried on by three independent reversible power drums withoutfriction clutches. l provide a new rope operating system wherepreferably bear a fixed re lation to the cable and wherein the main cable is raised and lowered to effect a raising and lowering of the bucket, and the bucket and carriage traversed along the main cable simultaneously with the raising and lowering of the former. A further oh ject is to dispense with one bucket operatin rope without in any way decreasing the efhciency of the apparatus or the bucket.

The invention consists in the improvements to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of winch will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

1 have fully and clearly illustrated my invention, and the accompanying drawings are to be taken as a part of this specification,

and wherein-- Figure l is a view in side elevation of a cableway illustrative of one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the cableway system illustrated. in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are plan views of drum engines for operating the ropes or cables of the system.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of another embodiment of the same invention employing an open-ended digging bucket, in place of an opening and closing bucket.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference,

1 designates generally an elevated head support, preferably in the form of a platform 2 mounted on wheeled trucks 8, the wheels of which are adapted to travel on parallel tracks at, running transversely of the length of the cableway, to be hereinafter set forth. Rising from the platform is a tower 5 of which tower constitutes the support or anchorage for one end of the cableway. 6 designates a support for the opposite end of the cableway from that supported by the tower 5, said tower 6 being mounted on a platform 7, having wheeled trucks 8, adaptany suitable construction,

i thence downwardto a part 13 of a threepart winding drum 14, to be more fully described hereinafter. This drum 11 adapted torevolve in either direction so as to pay out or take up said main cable. Mounted to travel lengthwise of the main cable is a load carriagej15, of any preferred construction, and having traction. wheels 16 to travel onthe' main cable.

The carriage is outhauled, or pulled toward the tower 6 by'means ,of 'an outhaul line 17, having one end connected to the carriage, at 18, and extending from said point of connection to the tower 6, over sheaves 19, 20, onsaid tower from which it passes across thespace between the towers and over a sheave 21 on the tower 5. From the sheave the outhaul line passes downward and-then up over a sheave 22 also on said tower 5, thereby forming a depending bight or loop 23,'between said sheaves'22 and '21. The end of the outhaul line which passes over the she'a'vej22 is carried down and wound upon a drum 2th, which is revoluble in both directions so as to either take up or pay out the said line. Suspendedin said loop or bight, 23 .is a sheave block to whichis connected one iendof a pulling line 26, the opposite end of which iswound on a section 2'? of said drum 1%. The function of the line 26 is to lengthen the bight or loop 23 to takeup slack in the outhaul line 17, simultaneously withthe taking up of the rnain cable.

2S designates an inhaul line, one end of which is connected to the carriage as. at 29,, on the opposite side from the connection 18,

said inhaul line extending from the carriage across the space betwee fthecarriage and the tower 5, and over a sheave 3Q on said tower 5. From the sheave 30 the. inhaul line extends downward "and is wound ,upon

' the ,said drum 2 1, inthe opposite direction from the line 17, so that when one of the lines 17 or 28, is'being taken up by said.

' drum, the other line will be simultaneously paidout, whereby the carriage may be traversedi in either direction lengthwise of the main cable. 31 designates an opening, and closing bucket, preferably of the clam-shell .t'ype, whicliis attached as' at 32, to the carriaga; the connectionbetween thebucket and' the carriage" preferably being such that the} bucket and the tower 5, and over a sheave 3 l'on said ,tower, from which sheave said line passes down and then up over a sheave 35 on the tower, thereby forming a dependingbight or loop 36, Thedine extends downward from the sheavel35, andlis wound on the drum' 24 in the 'samedirection asthe line28, so that theline 33: is .pa id outand taken up, simultaneously with said, line 28,

Hung in the loop or bight' 36 is asheave block 37, to which is connected one end ofa pulling line 38, the oppositeend of which is wound upon a winding drum 39. The function of the line 38, is to takeup or pay out. the loop orbight 36, so as to close or open the bucket 31. 7' i V I may employ fall rope carriersO, and a button rope/11 if desired, the said, rope being connected at one en'das at 42'to,the tower 6, andextendingtherefrom through the carriage 15, and over .sheaveselfi onthe tower 5, whenceit passes downward andis wound upon a section 44: oflthe'drum 14:, in the same "direction as the,lines 10 and;26, so

.that all three of said lines willbe taken up I The drums 1e, 2% and v may be driven in any suitable manner so as to be, capable of rotating in either direction, but I i prefer that said drums be driven by separate motors, as will now be described.

The drum 14 is keyed to a,dru1n shaft 45 I journaled in the side'members 16, 46 of a suitable bed plate, said shaft haying fixed I thereto a large driving gear 47 driven by a pinion 48 on a driving shaftfltt), journaled; onsaid bed plate. Thedrivingshaftt) is" provided on its endswith crank disks 50, the crank pins51 of which are driveniby the pistons of steam-.enginecylinders 52, the piston rods of which for the purposesofclearness are not shown but are indicated by V dot anddash lines, all as shown in Fig. 5.

the drum may be. driven inboth directions. V

Thedrum is divided by. flanges ltf into the 7 independent rope-receiving spaces 13, 27

and 4a heretofore. mentioned, which may or may not be of ,thef same diameter.

Referringto,Fig,3,;the drum 24issh0w1i mounted on a shaft 53,.journaled in bearings in the side frames 54: of a bed plate, said shaft having thereon a gear 55, driven by a pinion 56 on a driving shaft 57 also ]ournaled in the said side frames 54:. They driving shaft 57 is provided with crank disks 58, the crank pins 59 of which are connectedby piston rods, indicated by dot and dash lines, to the. pistons of steam-engine cylinders 60. The engine isjprovided with suitable reversing mechanism by means of which the drum may be driven in either direction. The drum is divided by a flange 24* into two sections upon one of which the lines 17 and 28 are wound,while upon the other of which the line 33 is wound. The drum may be provided withabrakeflange 61, with which coijperates a band brake 62 operated in any suitable manner.

Referring to Fig. 4c, the drum. 39 is mount ed on a shaft 63 journaled in side frames Ga'of a bed plate,'said shaft carrying a gear (35 driven by a pinion 66 on a driving shaft 67, provided with crank disks 68 driven by piston rods, indicated by dot and dash lines, of the pistons (not shown) of steam cylinders 69. This engine is also provided with suitable reversing means whereby the drum may be driven in either direction to pay out or take up the line 38 when opening or closing the bucket 31.

The drum 2% is preferably driven at high speed to drive the carriage 15 and the bucket 31 at the highest practicable velocity. The drum let is preferably driven at slow speed and with high power because in my improved rope operating system the bucket may be traversing to and froalong the cable simultaneously with the movement of drum 14 serving to raise and lower the main cable. Drum 39 is preferably driven atmoderate speed and high power for it is evident-that any time saved in closing the bucket is advantageous.

The operation of the above described preferred embodiment of the invention is as follows, it being premised that the carriage is in the uppermost position, immediately after dumping its load and prior to being outhauled to the position shown in Fig. 2 where the load is about to be taken.

The hauling ropes 17 and 28 will be operated to traverse the carriage to loading position and in such operation, the said ropes will, of course, become taut with the bucket elevated in a position intermediate of the cable 17 and the ground. (The relative positions of the cables 17 and 10 at this time being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2). At this point, the engine 14 will be 010- erated to pay out rope 10, 4:1 and the hauling rope 17. Owing to the loop in the haul ing rope the paying out of line 26. causes the hauling rope to move outwardly at twice the speed of the ropes l0 and 41, and slack will be formed in rope 17 as the carriage and bucket descend, while the rope 28 held by drum 24 will become taut and cause the carriage to b slightly inhauled. By reversing the drum 39 the line 38 is paid out which permits theloop 36 to swing and the line 33 to pay out. This causes the bucket to open. When the bucket is well on to the material drum 39 is operated, winding in rope 38, pulling on loop 36, winding in line 33 serving to close the bucket withits load. Immediately the bucket has taken its load, or possibly in advance of the buckets complete closing, the drum 14: will be operated to wind the main cable 10, the button line 41 and the line 26 taking up the loop 23. After a period of one or two seconds, or so much as may be necessary to raise the bucket to clear the pit, thedrum 24 is operated to traverse the carriage and its bucket toward. its point of dump. During the transit of the bucket the cable may continue to raise until the desired height is reached, when drum 1% is stopp ed, the carriage to continue until it reaches its destination. If the material is dropped over a wide area, drum 2% may be slowed down, the carriage travers ing at moderate speed at the same time that drum 39 is quickly reversed, thereby causing the bucket to dump its load, whereupon drum 24 is immediately reversed and the bucket carried back for another load with the bucket open ready to receive its load, or if it is desired to do so the bucket can be closed and can be opened during the return trip of the carriage and bucket. Drum 24 once reversed and the carriage on its way back to the pit, drum 14- i slackened and the cable lowered gradually to permit the bucket to belowered at the same time that it is traversing empty on its outward journey. The simplicit of control permits the simultaneous operations and the bucket may take a line almost straight from its point of digging to the point of deposit. The main cable receives its maximum strain only momentarily, usually at the time the bucket is being hoisted from the material.

One advantage of this system of rope lead is that the tracks on which the towers travel are not necessarily exactly parallel for it is clear that drum 14 not only serves to raise and lower the lines connecting the two towers, but aside from this it serves as an equalizer, permitting the towers to approach one another or recede from one another, within reasonable limits, as they traverse without in any way affecting the efficiencyof the apparatus. In Fig. l I have shown the cableway used in levee building in which the material is to be conveyed a long distance and delivered on a levee which is gradually increasing in height. It is highly desirable at times to alter the span of the cableway somewhat in order to clear stumps,

trees, swamps, hills, rocks or depressions. Under such circumstances therefore the headtower carrying the engines may run along on tracks definitely laid in reference to the leree under construction while the opposite, or tail tower, may run upon tracks which may shorten or lengthen the span of the cableway a distance approximatelyequal to the height of the head tower, although 10 not necessarily so limited.

riage and at its other end to the bucket,

preferably forward of the center of gravity of the latter. In this case a line 28 serves to drag the bucket into the materialbeing excavated, said line also serving as the inhaul for the carriage and bucket, and being operated in the same manner as the line 28 heretofore 25-- described' A line 33 is-provi-ded for lifting the rear end of the bucket 44 to dump the load from the open end of the bucket, and being controlled by means similar to the line 33' heretofore described, except that the loop 50 in said line 33 is taken up to dump the bucket Minstead of being paid out as with the said line 33. It is believed that the operation of this embodiment will be read ily understood without further description. The 1ine33 passes over a pulley on the carriage and is connected to the rear end of the bucket.

The invention has a number of advantages, chiefly, although not solely, in the simplification of construction and operation, andin increased speedof operation, resulting in part from the elimination of a holding rope with the drum necessary to operate thesame.

By my improved construction, I can raise and traverse, or traverse and lower, the bucket at the same tlme, whereas in systems employing a fixed cable-with a hoisting'rope and a holding rope for the bucket, the hoisting of the bucket and traversing of the same require distinct successive operations.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an excavating apparatus, twosupports, a supporting rope suspended between said supports, a carriage on the supporting rope, an inhaul line and an outhaul line for the carriage, a bucket suspended from the carriage, a drum upon which said supporting rope is wound,v a drum upon which said inhaul and outhaul lines are wound respectively in opposite directions, and a line wound upon said firstnamed drum and pulling a loop in saidout- In an excavatingapparatus, two supports, a'supportingrope suspended between said supports, a carriage on the supporting: rope, an inhaul and an outhaul line for the carriage, an: opening 1 closing bucket suspended fromk the carriage, a. drum upon which said supporting rope is wound, a drum HPOH'WhlOll'-S2Lll inhaul and outhaul lines are wound respectively in opposite directions, a closing line forthe bucket wound upon saidlastnamed-dru1n, a loop or bight in. said closing line, and means to take up andlet out said loop. 7

4. In an excavating apparatus, two sup ports, a supporting rope suspended-between said' supports, carriage on the supporting rope, an inhaul'line and an outhaul line for the carriage, a bucket suspended from the carriage, a drum upon which saidsupporting rope is wound, a drum for operating the inhaul and outhaul lines, and a line wound on said first-named drum andlpulling a loop in the outhaulline.

51-111 an excavating apparatus, two supports', asupporting rope suspended between said supports, a carriage on the supporting rope, a traversing line for the carriage, a bucket suspended from the carriage, a drum upon which said supporting rope is wound, and a line wound on said drum and pulling a loop in said traversing line.

6. In an excavating apparatus, two supports, a supporting rope suspended between said supports, a carriage on thesupporting rope,- an inhaul line and an outhaul line forthe carriage, a bucket suspended from the carriage, a drum upon which said in haul and outhaul lines are wound respectively in opposite directions, and means'independent of said'drum and common to said supporting rope and outhaul line for taking up the same during an'inactive pe riod of said drum; H i

'Z.- Inan excavating apparatus, two supports, a supporting rope suspended between said supports, carriage-on the supporting rope, an inhaul line and an outhaul line for the carriage, a bucket suspended from the carriage, a drum upon which said in haul and outhaul lines are'wound respectively in opposite directions, line pulling a loop in the 'outhaul'line, and a second.

1,247,eoe

drum independent of the first drum and upon which said supporting rope and said line for pulling a loop in the outhaul line are wound in the same direction.

8. In an excavating apparatus, two supports, a supporting rope suspended between said supports, a carriage on the supporting rope, a traversing line for the carriage, a bucket suspended from the carriage, a drum upon which said traversing line is wound, and means independent of said drum for taking up said supporting rope and traversing line, said means comprising a drum upon which said supporting rope is wound, and aline also wound on said drum and pulling a loop in said traversing line.

9. In an excavating apparatus, two supports, a supporting rope suspended between said supports, a carriage on the supporting rope, a bucket suspended from the carriage by a non-extensible connection, traversing lines for the carriage, a drum upon which said supporting rope is wound, a second drum upon which said traversing lines are wound respectively in opposite directions, a line wound on said first-named drum and pulling a loop in one of said traversing lines, and a bucket operating line wound on the drum carrying said traversing lines.

10. In an excavating apparatus, two supports, a supporting rope suspended between said supports, a carriage on the supporting rope, a bucket suspended from the carriage by a non-extensible connection, traversing lines for the carriage, a drum upon which said supporting rope is Wound, a second drum upon which said traversing lines are wound respectively in opposite directions, a line wound on said first-nained drum and pulling a loop or bight in one of said traversing lines, a bucket operating line wound on the drum carrying said traversing lines, and a third drum for operating a loop in said closing line.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST PULSFORD, LOUIS G. Roesnns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. (1. 

